1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and a system for closure, in succession, of the flaps of the two end sides of a half-package in the form of a sleeve.
More particularly, the present invention is incorporated in the field of boxing and/or packaging machines, in order to close, in individual succession, with continuous motion, the open flaps of the two end sides of half-packages in the form of a sleeve, which, for example, are obtained by means of boxing machines of the so-called xe2x80x9cwrap-aroundxe2x80x9d and/or xe2x80x9ccasingxe2x80x9d machine type, and/or with other packaging systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At present, in order to close the flaps of the end sides of half-packages in the form of a sleeve, systems are provided with intermittent and/or continuous motion, which have rotary and/or fixed folders, which fold the flaps of the end sides, see for example patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,654 and GB-2,233,954.
These systems have a series of disadvantages.
A first disadvantage is caused by the fact that the use of rotary and/or fixed folders does not permit the use of high operative speeds, resulting in a low production capacity.
A further disadvantage is owing to the fact that the use of rotary and/or fixed folders does not make it possible to close flaps which have particular forms, such as flaps which consist of two or more sub-edges, wherein each sub-flap must be folded correctly in relation to the remaining structure of the package.
The object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-described disadvantages.
The invention, which is characterised by the claims, solves the problem of creating a method for closing in succession the closure flaps of the two end sides of half-packages in the form of a sleeve, wherein each half-package comprises a first front flap, a first rear flap, a second front flap, a second rear flap, a third front flap, a third rear flap, a fourth front flap and a fourth rear flap, in which said method is characterised in that the said half-packages are translated in succession along a translation closure line with a front end side facing downstream and a rear end side facing upstream, and in that, for closure of the flaps of each half-package, the following operations are carried out: a)-application of glue onto the outer surface of the second front flap, which is disposed with an open configuration, and application of glue onto the outer surface of the fourth front flap, which is disposed with an open configuration; b)-folding towards the interior of the second front flap, and folding towards the interior of the fourth front flap; c)-folding towards the interior of the third front flap, and folding towards the interior of the first front flap; d)-application of glue on the outer surface of the second rear flap, which is disposed with an open configuration, and application of glue on the outer surface of the fourth rear flap, which is disposed with an open configuration; e)-folding towards the interior of the second rear flap, and folding towards the interior of the fourth rear flap; and f)-folding towards the interior of the third rear flap, and folding towards the interior of the first rear flap.
The same invention, which is characterised by the claims, also solves the problem of creating a system to close in succession the closure flaps of the two end sides of half-packages in the form of a sleeve, wherein each half-package comprises a first front flap, a first rear flap, a second front flap, a second rear flap, a third front flap, a third rear flap, a fourth front flap and a fourth rear flap, in which said system is characterised in that it comprises:  greater than -first thrust means, in order to supply the half-packages in individual succession within a translation-closure line;  greater than -first gluing means, which are disposed upstream from the said translation-closure line, and in the vicinity of the area of translation of the second front flaps and of the second rear flaps, in order to apply glue on the outer surfaces of the second front flaps and on the outer surfaces of the second rear flaps, whilst the half-packages are moved from upstream in the downstream direction in succession;  greater than -second gluing means, which are disposed upstream from the said translation-closure line and in the vicinity of the area of translation of the fourth front flaps and of the fourth rear flaps, in order to apply glue on the outer surfaces of the fourth front flaps and on the outer surfaces of the fourth rear flaps, whilst the half-packages are moved from upstream in the downstream direction in succession;  greater than -first thrust-folder means, comprising first thrust-folder posts, which move longitudinally in the vicinity of the area of translation of the second front flaps and of the second rear flaps, in order to fold towards the interior the said second front flaps and the said second rear flaps, during translation of the half-packages in the downstream direction;  greater than -second thrust-folder means, comprising second thrust-folder posts, which move longitudinally in the vicinity of the area of translation of the fourth front flaps and of the fourth rear flaps, in order to fold towards the interior the fourth front flaps and the fourth rear flaps, during translation of the half-packages in the downstream direction;  greater than -third thrust-folder means, comprising third thrust-folder posts, which move longitudinally in the vicinity of the area of translation of the third front flaps and of the third rear flaps, in order to fold towards the interior the third front flaps and the third rear flaps, during translation of the half-packages in the downstream direction;  greater than -fourth thrust-folder means, comprising fourth thrust-folder posts, which move longitudinally in the vicinity of the area of translation of the first front flaps and of the first rear flaps, in order to fold towards the interior the first front flaps and the first rear flaps, during translation of the half-packages in the downstream direction; and  greater than -support means, which extend longitudinally, in order to support the half-packages during translation in the downstream direction.
The advantages obtained by means of the present invention consist mainly in the fact of increasing the production capacities, and in that flaps with various forms can be closed.